It all happened quite by accident.I happened to see a photo of a chocolate Labrador puppy on a friend's fb, busily chewing his brother's ear. I decided to pay a visit, just on a whim. The minute I reached there, the puppy detached himself from the litter and headed straight for me. As if he knew I'd come for him. I picked him up and played with him a bit, then put him down and picked up another puppy to cuddle. And then, this tiny chocolate fellow turned around and gave a single tiniest and most indignant bark! I'm sure it was the first bark of his life, all of 21 days old.He then forced his way between me and the other puppy and settled down on my lap. He was the runt of the litter, thin and scrawny, like a small rat. But he was full of energy. I was not prepared to adopt a puppy so I left the place but I couldn't stop thinking about him. I felt a sense of bonding, like he was meant for me. And I realised that this was love and in a few weeks, he came home with me.There's a myth in Konkan, that there is a spirit that protects the land and the people from evil, a strong spirit that stands for what is right. Goans respect and fear this powerful spirit, called Rakhno or protector. And thus my puppy was named Choco Rakhno.He was the dog I've always wanted; the one that I've dreamt of ever since I was a child. All my other dogs were outdoor pets but this fellow lived indoors with me. He wanted to make friends with everyone, whether humans, dogs or children. If a dog he liked barked at him, he would feel hurt and whine. I often wonder what life is like for him, it's all about playing, eating and sleeping, with not a care in this world. He loves to travel and go places and so I take him with me whenever I can. We go to the beach together, visit friends together and go on short holidays!As the days go by, I am getting more and more attached to him. The best moments of my day are when he silently expresses his love with a full body cuddle or he puts his head on me in that special way.Mom and dad too have grown to love him, because it's simply impossible to not get captivated by the beautiful energy he brings. Having him in my life opened up a new world for me. I started being more mindful of the things around me. I started thinking of how the freedom of another living being is completely in my hands. He has no choice if I decide to lock him in the balcony or in the room for a few hours; or even if I starve him or tie him up. I think of dogs which don't get the attention, freedom and exercise Choco gets, which are chained up all day. I resolved to myself that I would do my bit to make sure no animal is used or abused for human pleasure or consumption. They have so much life in them and they have feelings just like us. They love, they have social relationships and they are intelligent and intuitive. All this opened up in me a deeper connect with things around me, a greater sense of awareness — which was key to my becoming actively involving myself in animal welfare and also turning vegan.Besides being police and army dogs, Labradors are known to help people deal with mental trauma like anxiety, and Choco is no exception. Whether it is a bad dream, a difficult day or an unpleasant emotion, there's something about him that drives it all away and suddenly it seems like everything is right with the world. One night I dreamt that I was in a small room. It was dark and I was feeling claustrophobic. I woke up scared, and saw Choco, alert. I don't know if he sensed my dream or if I made a noise but he slowly came over to my bed and stuck his cold wet nose into my blanket and cuddled up close. It was one of the most reassuring feelings ever and I slept like a baby the rest of the night, his steady breathing calming my mind. Thunder and rain lashed outside but I was safe, with Choco Rakhno, my protector puppy.

Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.